Wire clamp for concrete forms



R. T. WALES WIRE CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS March 13, 1928.

2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed May 12, 1923 Fig ,2;

INVENTOR March 13, 1928. 1,662,258

I R. T. WALES WIRE CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed May 12. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR By Attorneys, amazon W wp Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

ROWLAND T. WALES, OF NEW ROCHELLE, new YORK, assionoa'or ONE-HALF r ARTHUR C. FRASER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WIRE CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS.

Application filed May 12, 1923. Serial No. 638,585.

This invention relatesto wire ties for holi'ling together the opposite sides of concrete forms against internal pressure of the concrete before the latter solidifies. Such ties are sometimes made of rods held near their ends by clamps, but as difiiculty is encountered in either pulling such rods out of the green concrete or cutting off their protruding ends, the better practice is to use tie wires. Such wires have been either stretched singly across the mold space, or in most cases a doubled tie wire has been used, and the common practice has been to tighten it by inserting a crossbar between the wires at the middle and by turning it to twist them after the manner, of a tourniquet. For both single and doubled wires also screw tightening means have been proposed, but

heretofore none of these have been sufiicient- 1y effective to secure wide adoption. The present invention aims to provide an improved construction whereby the tightening is accomplished by means wholly outside of the mold space, and which enables a single wire to be used.

The tie comprises any suitable anchor bearing against one side of the form to which the wire on that side is fastened, and an anchor on the other side of the form (which may or may not be likecthe first anchor), and tightening means in relation with the latter anchor, by which the wire may first be tightened and then attached to such anchor. When the wire has thus been securely anchored on both sides of the form, the tightening means may be disconnected and removed.

The invention in its preferred form is shown in the accon'ipanying drawings, wherein,-

Figure l is a horizontal section showing a fragment of a concreting form with the wire tie in place; a I

Fig. :2 is a horizontal section of a so1newhat different construction of mold with the wire tie in place;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation mold shown in Fig. 2; v I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the preferred form of anchor;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of a mold such as that shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the operation of applying the tie by means of the wire tightener. The tightener is shown partly broken awayin mid-section;

of part of the 'upright training or F 6 and 7 show the tightener on a larger scale, Fig. 6 being a plan looking downward in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, certain of the parts being in longitudinal mid-section. Fig. 7 is an elevation viewed from the left in Fig. 6; i

Fig. 8 is a detail viewed from the right in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 shows a part of the tightener.

Reterring first to Figs. 1, 2 and S, A and A are the opposite forms constituting the mold for a concrete wall, the space B between these being the mold space to be filled with concrete. Such forms are commonly made with mold boards or panels C C which usually extend horizontally and are held by studs D D of wood or metal. In Fig. 1 the studs D D are arranged in pairs. In Fig. 2 the upright studs D D are more widely spaced, and outside of them are horizontal stretches 0t strips E E to form a bearing for the tie plates or anchors. lVit-h either construction of form a spacing stick F is introduced at intervals to hold the opposite form plates C C apart, these sticks being taken out as the concrete is filled into the mold. These sticks are preferably placed adjacent to the wire ties G G which hold theoppositc form walls together and resist the outward or bursting strain of the concrete.

In either construction the wire clamp construction is the same except for the arran 'ement of the anchors.

J and K are anchors or tie plates to which the opposite ends of the tie wire G are tastened. The anchors J K may be duplicates of one another, as shown, or they may he ol I dilicrent construction. In the construction shown. which is illustrated in detail in Fig. each anchor consists of a. fiat plate (i adapted to lie and bear against the flat outer face the term (either the outer faces of the studs 1) D in Fig. 1, or ot the strips E E in Figs. 2 and 3), and'has an opening 6 through which the wire iiasscs; attached to the plate a is a suitable form of l)l()]6CtlO 1 adapted for the attachment thereto of the end portion of the wire. In the preferred construction this attaching or cleat portion of theanchor is constructed as a wall 0 projecting from the plate a at preferably right angles, and having a notch 03 for receiving and engaging the Wire, and notches e and f for fastening the wire. The construction is adjusted position The nut turns in notches. The plate a has preferably such that the anchor may comeniently and cheaply be made by cutting from rolled angle iron and punching the holes and also a hole near one end, through which a nail may be driven.

The tie wire is connected or attached to each anchor in the manner shown. na1ne- 1y, by passing: its end through the opening and hendin; it down into the notch (5, then bending it to one side and carryin' it into the notch c. thence alone the opposite side and into the notch so that the end porlion of the wire is held by the portion /1 ol the wall beyond this notch. The openin; I; and the notch are both made by preference with tapered sides. so that the wire being first introduced through the larger portion is drzwn between these tapered sides and thereby gripped.

One end of the wire tie lll'rl' fastened in any suitable way to any suitable kind of anchor or attaching means. to come against one side of the form. as shown at J, and the wire is then passed through the form, the anchor K shown in t being placed against the other side with the wire passing through its opening 71. and the tight ener. which will now be descriljled. brought: into engagement; with this anchor in order lirst to tighten the wire to the requisite ten sion. and then to bend the wire down into engagement with the notch 11. so that the one may be securely held until further 'i tti i- For the anchor .i' it is dc; rablc. tor Paine construction :n; all OFIStiltltll requiretened. convenience. to use the shown in Fig. 4-, but ments will be met by using any known or suitable type ot' anchor to which the wire may previously be attached. and which may be applied in the position of the anchor .l.

The tig 'htener which is. shown in working position in Fig. I. and more in detail in Figs. (3 and T. ('tHlllH'lFOn a base or tool L for engaging the anchor ii. a frame iil projectiligf therelfrom [or snpt'iortin r and receiving the reaction of a rotatable nut l and a screw passing through and engaged by said nut. and having; means for clamping: th'e'end portion of the Preferably the screw Q is made tubular. and the clamping means consists at an enlargement or head /.1 thereon into which engages a screw Z having a erosshead m. for tttlhlt'lg it, so that it serves as a set-screw :l'or clamping the wire which has been thrust into the hollow of the screw 0. The. nut P turned by an arm 7) having a crank handle p. it is desirable. to make this crank adjustable to varying lengths of throw. for which purpose the arm 72 sliclable in a clamping head 1 formed on the nut, and is engaged and locked in any by means of a set-screw q. a collar R which is a part of the frame H. and is formed preterabl ii'itegrally with. the. armthereof, which a re arranged somewhat as in the letter A and serve as struts to t ansmit the reactive Sll'tfr'z-l to the base L. The base 1.. which is shown separately in Fig. J, is shaped to lit m'cr outstanding flange c of the anchor K. .\ccordingly, it has. a recess tcrminatinp at the sides in notches 1' r t'or receiving the ends: of the ju'ojectii'ig flange c, and {or centering the ba tthereon. 'lb" base ha a Hat portion a which bears against the plate 1/ ol' the anchor. The middle portion ol this is: di placed upwardly as an arch to ati'ord ai'nple room for the entrance of the wire. rhatcrcr may llt: ll 1)fi:-lilt)ll in the opening 'l'hi arched portion is lettered 'l'he ba.-e al--o has dowmartll \'e:-;tending bracket portions 74 u for giving; it an extended bearing upon the outer face of the form. At: its sides: the base has a pivotal connection with the fram M, preferably formed by providing the lane with cylindrical projections r o entering holes: in eyes: formed at the base ends of the two legs oi? the frame M: when these parts are applied. washers ll are placed outside of them. and cotter pins .1: or other 'l'astening' means are used to hold the parts together. 'l'hns. th frame M is pivoted so that it may swing arornd the axis ol the journal projection r c, and hence may be swung; from the p tion shown in full lines in Fig. 5, downward to that shown in dotted lines-z. For properly locating the frame .\l in its upper position by preventing;- its being carried too l'iig'h a stop or brace piece N is proyideah whi h i shown as riveted at its upper end to the -t 'ame Til adjacent the collar 11. and l|a\'in a brace m near its lower end which is riveted to one of the legs of the frame near its )l'\'t)l1ll tf 't.

In operation. a her the wire ha lice!) put through the term. the anchor plate h lli liri opening 7) threaded orcr the wire. and the plate placed against the outer l'acc ot' lln' form and then preferably l'aatencd tempo rarily by dririi'ig a nail into the hole o. 'lhe tiglitcner is then applied by placinc' its base L over the projecting Ilanac e at the anelmr, while introducing the. end o l the wire through the llaringl hole in the head and up through the hollow of the vrew 3. Preriously the screw Q was advanced sutlicienily toward the haste L to give, the requisite ran!" ol tightening movement. \Yhen the tichtener has thus been tbrou L'ht into position. the screw Z is tightened to cause its end to clamp the wire firmly. Thereupon the operator turns the nut P by means of the crank p. p. and thereby propels the screw Q outwardly. Thescrew is prmented from turning: in any suitable manner, the simplest way being by utilizing the projecting screw I as a lllt l llr to this end by confining it between two member: oi the'trame .il, m that ali n the rowthe till

loo

lob

the wet concrete. When the concrete has set same tightening instrument is. useful.

tion has turned it into contact with either member it cannot turn farther, and the screw then remains non-rotative. The out-ward movement of the screw Q, thus acts to stretch the wire until the desired tension is attained. Then the operator bears downon the tightener, forcibly bending it down to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The result of this is to bendthe tie wire G into the notch (Z and force it down between the approaching walls of this notch until it is caught and bitten thereby. The same move ment draws it down into the narrower portion of thenotch or opening I), so that the wire is given a biting engagement in two places, and at the same time by being forcibly bent downward under tension is given a set, so that it cannot spring back. Ifnecessary, this biting effect may be increased by striking a blow with a hammer against the Wire below the flange 0, which forces it deeper into the notch (Z. The operator may then release the screw Z so as to free the wire and disconnect the tightener and remove it. To make the fastening of the end port-ion of the wire more complete and secure, the operator then, by means of a hammer orotherwise, turns the wire. sidewise'and bends it up through the notch c, then bends it hori-' zontally across the top of the flange c, and forces it into the notch f and beneath the projection it, all as shown in dotted lines in 'Fig. 4. The wire end is thus so Securely attached that it cannot escape from its engagement with the notches b d.

The operation thus described is very quickly performed and results in the eifeetive tightening of the wire to any desired tension, and its secure anchorage, so that biting the concrete mold or form cannot open up under the internal or expanding pressure of or solidified, and the form (or its lower portion) is to be released, it .istonly necessary to either unbend the wire or cut it, the latter being the usual course. t Then by removing the nail driven at g and straightening the cut end of the wire, the anchor or clcat K may be removed and preserved for repealed future use. If the anchor J is of the same construction, this operation may be performed alike on both sides of the form. \Vhen the form is sufficiently removed to give access to the face of the concrete wall, the projecting wires may-be cut at the surface or twisted oif beneath the surface and the opening pointed over; or it it is preferred not to leave the wire ties in the wall, these may be pulled out therefrom while the concrete is still green. 1

For pulling the tie wires from the wall the F or this purpose the projecting end of the wire is straightened sufficiently to enable it to be introduced within or through the hollow of the screw Q, whereuponthe wire is clamped therein by the set-screw Z, andby rotating thenut l a'powerful pullis generated, so that the wire may be pulled free from the green concrete and thereafter easily withdrawn from the wall. This operation is best performed before stripping the mold. It is desirable to broaden the base L by using with it one of the anchors K. F or rescue such wire puller the tightener may well be applied upside down as compared with Fig. 5, because it is not required to swing downwardly, and its bracelv then servesto prevent its dropping below a horizontal position.

In the description of the operation above given, it is understood that the anchor K is applied horizontally against upright studs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5; if the con struction of concreting form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is used, where the anchor is arranged vertically, so as to bear upon two closely fied only to the extent that-the tightener is swung horizontally to the left (or right) instead of downwardly, in order to draw the wire into the converging notches.

The anchors and tightener provided by the present invention are applicable to practically every known constr ction of concretthe important economic advantage. of dis pensing with all tightening "means except temporarlly during the time when the tightening is being performed. Thus, on an erecting contract requiring, for example,-l0,000

wire ties, the former constructions would have required an equal number'of tightening screws or equivalent tightening devices, while thepresent invention requires only one tightening device,or oneto each workman who is to do the tightci'iiug of the ties,

so th'at in the given example from one to perhaps ten tighteners only would be neerhed, as against 10,000. The improved anchors herein described are extremely cheap and afiord absolute assurance of a'non-ynaldiug grip upon the wire which cannot give way during the concreting performance.

lVhilc the preferred embodiment of the invention has been descr bedin detail, it is to be understood that the (invention is not 'confined to this precise construction, but

may be greatly modified orvariedwithin the scope of the appended claims. Y

The anchors J or K are useful in some situations without cooperation with the adjoining strips E, E, the operationis modiillii tightener, and for this reasonthe anchor is separately claimed in a divisional application tiled hlay. 22, 1926, Serial No. 110,902. For the purposes of the tnescnt invention, which includes the anchor and tightencr in their cooperative relation, it is essential that the anchor be adapted to make a suitable engagement with the tantened wire so as to securely hold it while the tightcncr is being detached and remove 1, after which the wire may be more permanently attached to the anchor it necessary. For thepurpose of such engagement the tapered opening or openings 1) (I (or erptivalcnt means) are formed on a fixed or integral part of the anchor. as distinguished from using a separate movable v'lastening means such as a set screw.

I claim as my invention 2- V 1. A wire clamp for concrete forms comprising anchors on opposite sides of the form, a tightener engaging the wire and the other anchor for tautening. the wire. the latter anchor having an integral fixed portion adapted to grip the taut wire whileheldby said tightener.

2. A wire clamp for concrete 'torms comprising anchors on opposite sides of the form, a wire attached to one anchor, and a tightener engaging the wire and the other anchor for tautening the wire. the latter anchor being integral and having rigid means for gripping the taut wire, and the tightencr movable to carry the wire into gripping cngagement by said means.

3. A wire clamp for. concrete forms comprising anchors on opposite sides of the form, the wire attached to one anchor, and a tlghtener engaging the wire and the other anchor for tautening the wire, the latter anchor having an opening for receiving the wire. such opening having converging sides adapted to grip the wire as the latter drawn into its narrower portion, and the tightcner movable to carry the taut wire into such narrower portion.

4. A wire clamp for concrete forms, comprising anchors on opposite sides of the form, the wire attached to one anchor, and a tightener engaging the wire and the other anchor for tautening the wire, the latter anchor having an opening for receiving the wire, such opening having converging sides adapted to grip the wire as the latter is drawn into its narrower portion, and having a projecting part with a second opening with converging sides, and the tightener mo 'able to carry the taut wire into the narrower portion of said first-named opening and to subsequently carry the wire into the narrower portion of said last-named opening, whereby the wire. is doubly gripped by the anchor.

5. A wire clamp according to claim .2, the

wire attached to one anchor, and a tightencr adapted to. disengage the wire aher the latter has been gripped by the anchor.

6. A wire clamp according to claim 4, the tightener adapted to disengage the wire at'ter the latter has been gripped by. the anchor.

7. In a wire clamp for concrete forms, a tightener comprising a frame for reacting against the form, and tightening means movable relatively to the frame and perpendicularly to the form for tantening the wire, the t"a1ne movable to bend the wire after tautening.

. 8. A wire clamp. for concrete forms, a tightener comprising a frame for reacting against the form. and tightening means comprising a hollow screw entered by the wire, with means for gripping the wire thereto, and a rotary part, engaging the screw tor tautening the wire, the frame mow able to bcnd the wire while taut.

9. In a wire clamp, a tightener comprising a frame adapted to seat against a wire anchor, and tightening means movable in said frame to tauten the wire, and the frame rotatable around its engagement with the anchor to bend the taut wire.

10. In a wire clamp, a tightener comprising a base, a frame pivoted thereto, and tightening means movable'in said frame. the base adapted to engage an anchor, and the trame movable on its pivotal cngagcment to bend the taut wire.

. 11. In a wire clamp, the combination with an angle plate anchor of a tightencr comprising a base adapted to lit against such anchor and engage its projecting portion. a frame pivoted to said base, and tightening means movable in said frame to tautcn the wire, the frame adapted to turn on said pivotalcngagemcnt to bend the taut wire.

12.111 a wire clamp, a tightcncr com prising a frame, a hollow screw, a rotatable nut engaging, said screw and mounted to turn on said frame, and a set. screw carried by said screw for gripping the wire. and projecting into engagement with the frame to limit the rotation of the screw. Y

13. A tightener according to claim 7, having a stop to engage the form when in the wire-tightening position.

14. A tightener according to claim 7. l a\= ing a brace ononebidc reacting against the form when in the wire-tightcning position.

15. In a wire clamp, the combination with an anchor of a tightenc' adapted to tit againstthe anchor. having. means for tautening the wire, and movable relatively to the anchor to bend the taut Wire, and the anchorhaving fixed integral means for gripping the wire as the latter is bent into engagement therewith.

16. A wire clamp for concrete forms comprising anchors on opposite sides of the form, a' wire attached to one anchor, and a tlghtener engaging the wire and the other liit,

anchor for tautening the Wire, the latter engaging the threads of the screw and havanchor having rigidly fixed means for ening a swivel attachment to the frame, means 10 gaging the taut Wire, and the tightener for attaching the Wire to the screw, and

adapted to disengage the Wire and be demeans for limiting rotation of the screw as tached after the anchors are united by the the nut is turned.

taut Wire. 7 In Witness whereof, I have hereunto- 17. In a Wire clamp tight-ener comprising signed my name.

a frame, a hollow screw, a rotatable nut ROWLAND T. WALES. 

